EDMONTON – A student association at the University of Alberta has been suspended for one year, following allegations of hazing at a student event that took place earlier this year.
In a post on the Lister Hall Students’ Association’s Facebook page, association president Samuel Wright says the LHSA has been found guilty of breaching the code of student behaviour and will be suspended as a student group effective May 1, 2014.
It’s not known exactly what happened at the student event in January.
“I know that they were considered hazing the students at one point in time because we have booklets that are approved by the LHSA and approved by res. And I know that some of the activities that happened in Skulk weren’t on the booklet,” added Mackenzie Brown, another U of A student. “They were doing cheers at the beginning of the event and that wasn’t included in the booklet and so it was considered hazing.”
The U of A’s Office of Student Judicial Affairs (OSJA) says it can’t comment on any specific case, but says it investigates both academic and non-academic offences.
“We have a section about the way people are treated — so, inappropriate behaviour towards individual or groups… hazing would fall under that,” said Deborah Eerkes, director of the OSJA. “It’s a broad range of things which can potentially cause people discomfort, humiliation, embarrassment, all the way up to injury or worse.”
While the U of A Students’ Union says it does not condone any form of hazing, Union President Petros Kusmu says it is important the LHSA has a chance to have its voice heard.
“The groups like the Lister Hall Students’ Association play an important role in representing the voice of students. So if there are these types of allegations taking place, there needs to be a fair process for them to appeal that decision,” Kusmu explained.
As a result of the incident, Wright says the VP of Henday Hall — one of the residences within Lister — has been removed from her position.
Wright went on to say the allegations are under heavy dispute, adding the LHSA executive believes the suspension is an injustice to students and “detrimental to student life at the university.”
“The fact that it might be shut down, it’s really saddening, actually,” added Brown. “The LHSA kind of makes you into the person that you are because it exposes you to a whole bunch of new people, a whole bunch of events.”
The LHSA has an opportunity to appeal the decision. The association is meeting with students Wednesday evening to discuss the situation.
With files from Laurel Gregory, Global News.
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